Fate's Maiden
by 0118999881999119725.3
Summary: "Awk!" Yep. That's how my story starts. With me squawking like some giant bird, which I can assure you, readers, I'm not. Just a normal sheila, average height, long brown hair, green eyes. Nothing special about me. Never mind the fact I'm hurtling into a whole new world via flaming ball of death. Totally ordinary.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Awk!"

Yep. That's how my story starts. With me squawking like some giant bird, which I can assure you, readers, I'm not. Just a normal sheila, average height, long brown hair, green eyes. Nothing special about me.

Anyway, you know when you have those dreams where you're falling, and you wake up just before you hit the ground? Well that didn't happen, even though I'm sure this was supposed to be a dream. Why else would I just drop right out of the sky from some undetermined point?

And the worst part was, when several tree branches 'softened' my landing, falling through the atmosphere had burned me nearly to a crisp. Just great. Thankfully, whatever poor luck I had, there was just enough to drop me in a small stream and douse the fire (oh, sweet relief!). Aside from not being sure how I'd survived whatever just happened, I had a feeling stranger things were on their way. And of course, I was right.

Shortly after my landing, a whole bunch of horse riders surrounded me, speaking in a strange language. Desperately holding onto whatever shred of dignity I had left, I curled up into a ball, though it cost me a great deal of pain, and covered my lady parts. The riders were all dressed like some sort of medieval nobles, with their tunics, leggings and robes – oh, and of course SWORDS!

I rasped out with some difficulty, "Did I miss a medieval convention or something?" and the leader, who dismounted his horse gave me a funny look. He looked familiar…

OMG! "Hugo Weaving?"

Hugo did the crazy eyebrow thing, and I reassessed, scrunching up my nose. "Lord Elrond?"

"How do you know my name, maiden?" he asked in his stern, yet eloquent voice.

I flipped out. "What kind of fucked up dream is this?! No way could this be real!"

The elf lord had not quit his approach, and now removed his cloak to wrap around my naked body. "Come, lady…?"

"Elise," I muttered disbelievingly.

"Lady Elise, I assure you, we are very much real, as are your wounds."

I winced as I remembered the burns covering nearly my entire body.

"Please allow us to take you to be healed," he said. I nodded, eyeing him warily, and he swooped in and lifted me into his arms, leaped onto his horse like a ninja and led his hunting group back to Rivendell.

None of my dreams ever transitioned as smoothly or realistically as this. I fell asleep on the way to the healing rooms, and woke up in a hospital room. Looking at my body lying upon a bed, covered in burns. And I mean _covered_. Half my face looked blistery and red, and knowing what I looked like in the other world; I could safely assume there wasn't a patch of normal looking skin on the rest of my body either. My parents were on either side of me, holding a hand each, and they both looked teary.

I tried to get their attention, but all my attempts were fruitless. And so I was trapped, left to sit here and try to figure out what had happened in the first place.

I even tried to attach myself back to my body, Peter Pan style, but that didn't work either.

Finally, my dad mumbled, "Elise, what were you doing in that burning house?" He bowed his head, weeping silently.

"It's alright honey," my mother said in a broken voice to my comatose body, "we're both here. We won't leave you."

I felt my eyes well up with tears at not being able to comfort my parents. I couldn't even hug them, I just passed straight through. Suddenly there was a sharp tugging in my middle, and I faded out of the hospital room.

I screamed in rage at finding myself back at Rivendell, in the healing room. "No! I don't wanna be here! Let me go home!"

Elrond and a couple other elves were trying to calm me and hold me down, but I lashed out and struck the elf lord with my head, causing him to stumble back slightly, and leapt out of the bed, racing outside.

I kept running until I reached the highest point in the city, and raged at the heavens. "You bastards wanna mess with me? I know how the story goes, and I don't know what the hell you want me for, but if you don't send me back where I belong _right now_, I'll kill a main character! I'll kill the Ringbearer! Or Elessar! This place isn't real, anyway!" I panted heavily at the end of my threat.

"And what if the Valar did not bring you here?" Elrond asked me quietly, rubbing his jaw.

I whirled around and glared at him. "What are you saying?"

He approached me with caution. "You do not believe this place is real. Perhaps then it is your own mind keeping you from returning to your own home."

My glare lessened a little. "You admit to not being real?"

The elf shook his head. "My existence does not depend on your belief in it. Come, you should rest. It will aid your healing."

I stepped back. "I can't go back to sleep."

Elrond looked at me sympathetically, "If it is your dreams you fear… then I believe something can be done for that."

I searched his face, and finally decided that I would trust him. "Alright."

Smiling, Elrond took me by the hand and led me back to the healing rooms once more. "Sorry for hitting you," I mumbled sheepishly.

"It is of no consequence," he replied easily.

"Now that you are sleeping and we can work on your body in peace," Elrond began a little sardonically, "please take your time in explaining how you knew my name when we first met." He stood in a majestic, open lounging area, and I lay reclined on a Roman style seat in this dream. My hair had to be cut extremely short (I now looked more like a boy), since most of it was singed unevenly in the giant ball of flame that escorted me to Middle Earth. I felt very much like I had taken a trip to a psychologist's office, if it weren't for the beautiful landscape, and the… eccentricity of the 'psychologist.'

I started off with the writer. "There's a man called Tolkien-"

The elf lord whipped around. "Tolkien?!"

I stared at him in confusion, "Er, yeah. He wrote a whole bunch of books, and they in turn got made into movies. Kind of like telling a story through a waking dream, like this. Anyway, Middle Earth is famous on my world."

Elrond did the famous eyebrow move of 'WTF!' "Tolkien was one of Middle Earth's best prophets until he vanished many years ago."

I shrugged. "He died a while back, after he published the books."

Elrond appeared saddened by this. "Then it is as I thought. His destiny was not to share this vision with us. It would give too much away and change the fate of this world."

I gave him a sceptical look. "So contrary to popular belief, Tolkien didn't make all this up? He just 'prophesied' it on a different world?"

The elf lord of Rivendell smiled knowingly at me. "Indeed, lady Elise."

I sighed. "Then, if this is real, and I'm actually here somehow, why should it be me and not someone else? I'm not specially equipped for anything, really."

Elrond began hesitantly, "I have a theory… that perhaps you were sent here not _because_ you are specially equipped, but to _become_ better equipped."

"I'll bite. For what?" I stared at him, puzzled.

The ellon's eyes lit up as he started explaining his theory to me, and I couldn't help but admire his enthusiasm. "When you fell from the sky and encountered us, your wounds were more believable to you than your situation, and so you readily accepted them. Under normal circumstances, you would be in shock and denial over your injuries, but even now you are recovering speedily, more so than I would have expected."

He paused, as though trying to choose his words. "I believe if you participate in this prophecy, out of the adventure you shall develop the strength to face your own world."

"You mean imagination before reality is easier to digest?" I asked him sceptically. He nodded.

We searched each other's faces for a long time before I finally relented.

"Which adventure would that be, Lord Elrond?"

"Well, we are in the Third Age, and Mithrandir has recently informed me that the One Ring has been found in the Shire-"

"Damn," I moaned, "Bilbo's quest was so much more fun."

Giving me a scolding look, he continued, "So I am currently calling for representatives of each race to a meeting, here in Rivendell, in a week's time."

Huffing my disappointment, I asked the elf lord, "Has your daughter left yet to meet with Elessar and the hobbits?"

"Arwen?"

I raised my eyebrows and urged him, "Yes, Arwen! She should go and look for them in the forest near the old watch tower of Amon Sul, now – or Frodo will die before the story's barely begun!"

He did that funky eyebrow thing again before telling me to wait here – and disappeared behind a column. He faded back in front of me several minutes later and nodded his thanks.

"Is it time to get up yet?"

Smirking, Lord Elrond shook his head and asked me to tell him about myself.

So I told him about my youth, living on a large cattle property and riding horses to our small school every day. I'd always been good with whips and lassos, darts too. We played darts a lot. How I loved to read and swim, and I wanted to grow up to be a famous singer, but I'd never plucked up the courage to try. And up til now, I'd been teaching youngsters how to swim and be safe in the water. I could remember everything up until the past few days. "… Until something happened, I wasn't sure what I was doing at the time, but apparently I'd been inside a house when it was burning down and I showed up here. So, now I'm in a coma."

"And what makes you think you are worth waking up?" the elf probed.

"My parents are distraught," I began, but he cut me off. "If your only reason for going back is to comfort your parents, it is no wonder your body will not accept you back." His words stunned me, and I fought to think of a good response to that.

"I-" Actually, nothing came to mind. "I don't know. There are at least 6 billion people in the world already, and I don't see anything significant happening if I wake up, if I'm gonna be honest."

Elrond smiled. "Good. Then after this journey, I expect you will have found a reason to go back."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

There were always holes in the logical progression of things in my usual dreams, and so far, I had found nothing out of place in this world, except for me.

Three days after our psychology discussion, Elrond was occupied with Frodo and Arwen's arrival. The hobbit had been pierced by a Morgul blade, and needed immediate attention, but I was free to get up and walk about, since my burns had scarred over properly. Damn, this elvish medicine was good! I was supposed to rub a healing balm on them every day until the scars faded, but I wasn't entirely sure if that would work, since my real body was still in a hospital room, in the real world. I'd gone back to visit my body last night (Is that something you can ever get used to saying?), and it was covered in bandages, so I couldn't tell, really. Elrond told me to give it the benefit of the doubt, and so I did, but only because he'd taken the time to take care of me anyway.

After another six days, Frodo's hobbit friends had arrived, along with Elessar. I tried as much as possible to keep out of their way, but with all the adventuring Merry and Pippin did around Rivendell while Frodo recovered, it was growing quite difficult.

"Hey, you!" Merry called out far behind me. I picked up my pace, but was cut off by one Mr Perrigrin Took, on the other side of the walkway. "You're not an elf," he pointed at my ears. I sat down at a low bench and watched their approach.

"We spotted you when we first got here," Pippin smiled, "And we've been following you _all_ day!"

I gave him a look that said 'are you serious?'

Merry caught up with him. "I'm Merry, and this is Pippin. And we were wondering what you're doing here, since you're not an elf."

"And what happened to your face?" Pippin added with the curiosity of a child.

Merry elbowed him. "Don't be rude, Pip."

"My name is Elise. I fell out of the sky and burned myself up on the way down here. Lord Elrond found me and brought me back for healing. It's pretty horrible, but I don't look as bad as when I first got here."

"Wanna know why _we're_ here?" Pippin replied.

I smiled at him. "You're here with Frodo Baggins. You two got him and Sam to Bree on Buckleberry Ferry, waited at the Prancing Pony where you met Strider, encountered a bunch of Nazgul at the watchtower of Amon Sul and eventually made it to Rivendell to drop off the One Ring."

Pippin gaped at me, and Merry huffed, "Well that just about sums it up then. What were you hiding for?"

I shrugged. "Thought you'd be with Frodo or Bilbo, and I didn't wish to distract you."

"Bilbo's here?" the youngest of the pair asked me in astonishment. I nodded and smiled at him. "Bilbo came here after his birthday. He's been trying to finish off his book for Frodo now, cos he doesn't feel ready for an adventure anymore."

"C'mon, Merry! Let's go find him!" the exuberant young hobbit said before rushing off. Merry rolled his eyes and bowed his head at me before following after his cousin. "It was lovely meeting you, Lady Elise!"

"Same goes to you!" I called after him. I liked those two.

A piercing cry came from above, and I looked up in time to see Gandalf fly in on the back of the King of Eagles. "Couldn't I have come here like that?" I muttered to myself.

"Your entrance was far more memorable, I hear though." Arwen's gentle voice sounded close behind me, and I spun around in fright. "F- Where did _you_ come from?"

She smiled mischievously and sat down beside me. "I was out walking and spotted you. My father tells me you were the one who sent me out to face nine Nazgul alone."

I looked at her, horrified. "I am so sorry! I never intended to put you in any danger, I just-"

Arwen laughed her beautiful, chiming laugh. "Don't apologise. Had you not, it would have been too late for dear Frodo, and all would be lost."

I puffed some hair out of my face. "Elves. Everyone thinks you're so lovely and noble, but you have the most sneaky, condescending humour out of all!"

The elleth grinned. "You seem to have us quite figured out, Elise."

I nodded matter-of-factly. "Indeed I do."

We both looked at each other and burst out laughing.

She stood and took my hand. "Come, I have some old clothes you may have. My father has told me many things more about you, and I for one do not wish for you to be out of clothes at all on your journey." Once again she smirked as I rolled my eyes at her humour.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old… You've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor."

Finally after a total of two weeks, the Secret Council had gathered, and Elrond was announcing their reason for travelling here. I stood and watched from Aragorn's right side, hiding my face and body beneath hood and cloak, and tried to remain as silent as possible. Arwen had introduced the two of us shortly after our own encounter, and put me in his care for the Council meeting. Actually, the Rivendell elves and I had grown quite close in our short time of knowing one another, though I was careful not to tell Elrond that his daughter _would_ bond with Elessar. That was obviously going to be a sore point for some time. Mostly, we made fun of each other, as I explained how things in my world worked, like gender equality, their human doppelgangers from the movies and the lack of several races on our planet.

"Middle Earth is on the brink of destruction," Rivendell's lord continued. "None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the ring, Frodo."

The brave, blue-eyed hobbit stepped forward and placed the ring on the stone tablet, for all to see. I kept my own eyes faithfully trained on Frodo; unsure what effect Sauron's Ring of Power could have over me, knowing the immediate effect it would have on a particular character in the story.

"So it is true," Boromir marvelled, and the entire company seemed transfixed.

The son of Gondor stood and began to speak. "In a dream I saw the eastern sky grow dark, but in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying, 'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found.' Isildur's Bane…" He reached out to take the Ring, and Elrond stood, calling his name sharply.

Gandalf however chanted in Black Speech, the Ring echoing his words. The earth shook and a shadow grew over the Council.

"Fuck!" I cursed softly, earning a disapproving look from Aragorn.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of _that_ tongue here in Imladris," Elrond scolded the wizard.

Gandalf leaned on his staff, looking every bit the old man he was. "I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil."

"It is a gift," Boromir disagreed, standing to address everyone. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him."

Aragorn called out to the Gondorian from his seat. "You cannot wield it. None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

Boromir sneered at him. "And what would a Ranger know of this matter?"

Legolas, the prince of Mirkwood, stood up from his seat and for his friend. "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Boromir was startled. "Aragorn. This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." The Mirkwood elf added with a touch of smugness.

Aragorn spoke in elvish tongue, telling his friend to sit down.

The steward's eldest son bit back sharply. "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." Strider seemed a little sad about that response, so I squeezed his shoulder lightly.

Gandalf spoke up, then. "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."

Elrond clarified, "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."

The red haired dwarf stood up and moved towards the Ring. "What are we waiting for?" He swung his axe down upon the Ring, but was sent flying back as his weapon broke into several pieces. The Ring remained untarnished, of course.

Rivendell's elf lord looked like he couldn't choose between being amused or sympathetic. "The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin by any craft that we here possess." His stare became more intense as he explained what had to be done. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you… must do this."

There was a long silence after that statement. Boromir took that opportunity to naysay. "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The Great Eye," he emphasised with no small degree of fear, "is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire, and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly."

I coughed, and Elrond gave me a look that said, 'No. Shut up.'

Legolas stood once more, looking kinda ticked off. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed."

I noticed just now, elves rolled their "Rs" a lot. Perhaps it was something to do with their native tongue being derived from lotsa Finnish and Welsh?

Gimli answered, "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!"

Boromir, of course, had to put in his two cents worth. "And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

The dwarf spat, "I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf! Never trust an elf!"

Now that Gimli had managed to offend the majority of this city's occupants with that statement, the incessant arguing began. To his credit, Legolas restrained his comrades from doing _who knows what_ to the fiery red head.

I heard Gandalf speak above the others to no effect. "Do you not understand? While you bicker, Sauron's power grows! None can escape it! You'll all be destroyed!"

I could see the growing distress in Frodo's face until he finally stood up and called out. "I will take it!"

None of the bickering old women heard him, so he had to repeat himself. "I will take it! I will take the Ring to Mordor…" There was a guilty silence as the group realised they'd made an innocent, naïve little fellow take on the world's greatest evil (despite the two elders' knowledge that he was the only one who could do it). He added, "Though, I do not know the way."

Gandalf went to the hobbit's side and patted him on the shoulder. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn, who'd been wise enough to stay out of the fighting while elves many years his elder had not, rose from his seat to kneel before the hobbit. "If by my life or death I can protect you… I will. You have my sword."

Legolas stepped up. "And you have my bow."

Gimli followed, more out of distrust of the elf than anything, I think. "And _my_ axe."

Boromir was the last of the council to join them."You carry the fates of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."

It was then that Sam made himself known, as he hid in the hedges. "Hey! Mr Frodo's not going anywhere without me."

Elrond teased him. "No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you, even when _he_ is summoned to a Secret Council and _you_ are not."

Merry called out from behind a pillar as he and Pippin raced out to join the group. "Oi! We're coming, too! You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

Pippin added, "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of… mission. Quest. Thing."

Merry retorted, "Well that rules you out, Pip."

Elrond "Nine companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

Pippin "Great! Where are we going?"

I shook my head and tapped Elrond on the shoulder. "Did you change your mind, Lord Elrond?"

He looked at me in surprise. "I'm terribly sorry, Lady Elise. You've been so unobtrusive I forgot. Forgive me, it shall be ten companions!"

"You're sending a woman with us? What for?" Boromir seemed affronted.

I stepped up beside him and pulled him down by the ear. "To keep you in line, of course!"

Legolas smiled in my direction, and I released the Gondorian's ear. "Can you defend yourself?" Boromir asked suspiciously, rubbing his sore ear. I nodded a little, but looked to Elrond. "Sorta. You want me to do anything in particular while I'm gone?"

Elrond looked up to the heavens for help. "Don't change anything that shouldn't be, and perhaps learn to use some form of weapon, _other_ than your sharp tongue."

I grinned from beneath my hood. "No wucking furries, Elrond, I'll get right on that! Thanks for the fine hospitality. Let's go, chaps!"

"You're not leaving til tomorrow morning," he said. "I have some weapons you need to take with you before you leave."

I groaned. "Damn it! I'm stuck with you for another _day_?!"

Everyone gasped, afraid of Lord Elrond's reaction to such rudeness.

"Lady Elise!" Aragorn scolded, but I ran forward to embrace the elf lord.

"I hate you so much, you evil man! Making me wallow in goodbyes! Dinner better be awesome!"

Elrond sighed and returned the hug. "I'll miss you too, Elise. We're having salad."

I glared up at him through my hood. "You suck! You're _thousands_ of years old and the most imaginative meal you can come up with is salad? What about curried fish or something? You have a river, _right there_!" I pointed at the water, and then at Legolas. "The Mirkwood elves get to eat giant spiders! What the hell's wrong with you, Hugo?"

Everyone was staring at us in perplexed silence. Elrond pulled back and looked at me with a kind of half smile. "On the other hand, perhaps you can distract Sauron with your incessant scolding while Frodo destroys the ring."

"Yeah, yeah, shut up, ya sexist pig." The entire company was stunned as Elrond and I strolled away arm in arm, laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

We'd begun travelling west of the Misty Mountains, making me think of the first Hobbit movie that'd come out recently. Gandalf said we'd have to stay this course for forty days, go through the Gap of Rohan and head east from there for Mordor.

I started humming the Misty Mountain song. Gimli picked up on the tune. "You've heard the tale of Thorin and Company, lass?" I nodded. Pippin turned around to say, "She knows everything!"

I smiled. The young hobbit didn't realise how very true his statement was.

"Does she now?"

"Not everything," I amended. "Don't know anything about swords or bows or axes."

"You what?" the dwarf roared. "I thought you said you could defend yourself!"

"I can." I shrugged. "Just not with any of those."

"What weapon _can_ ye use?" he grumbled.

"My fists. And maybe a dagger."

"Oh," Gimli moaned, "I can tell you'll be trouble, lass!"

"Well thanks for the kind offer to help me learn," I huffed sarcastically.

Legolas moved up beside me. "I'll help you with your bow work, Lady Elise, but it may be easier for you if you uncloak your face."

I grinned bitterly at him, "Oh, my dear old elf, you don't want that. I can charm a cave troll with this face, but not much else."

"She dropped right out of the sky," Pippin supplied cheerfully, "in a big ball of flame."

"Burned all my clothes off," I added.

"Really!" Gimli shook his head. "Who'd believe such a wild tale? If you really fell from the sky, lass, you'd be dead!"

I shrugged. "Your world has a lot more good fortune in it than mine."

"You're not of this world?" Legolas asked.

I sighed. "Nope. In my world, I'm in a coma cos I got stuck in a house fire."

"So what happens if you die in this world?"

"I'm on life support as it is now, but I'd probably deteriorate and die there too."

"How do you know of us, then, lass?" Gimli looked at me sceptically.

"A fellow named Tolkien wrote stories about Middle Earth, and this is one of them. His stories are actually my favourites."

"Tolkien?!" Legolas and Aragorn both whipped around to give me an intense stare. I nodded. "Yeah, Elrond told me about him already. Where I come from, he was one of the best fantasy writers the world has ever known."

"So you know what's going to happen, before it happens?" the elf queried. I nodded.

"Then will you tell us?" the dwarf nudged me.

"Well, you see, Gimli, there's this pig…" he nodded intently, "and it learns to fly. And after that, I tell you how Tolkien's story goes."

Legolas smirked and the dwarf growled, marching away from me.

"I shall help you as well with your sword and dagger, milady," Aragorn volunteered and I smiled. What a sweetheart. "It would not do to have you stand by defenceless if we come under attack."

"Thanks, Strider."

We'd been on the course for about three weeks when we set up camp where the Crebain of Dunland would swoop in the following morning. As the Fellowship set up their beds, I slipped down out of sight to apply the healing balm to my face and body in peace. A difficult feat to do this last week in particular, considering the task required me to pretty much strip off all my clothes, and shelter was becoming sparse.

I had, however, learned to be efficient enough with a dagger, since I'd bluffed to the dwarf about that skill. The bow was _really_ difficult, and I was finding the sword quite heavy for my arms to wield, still.

"Miss Elise! Dinner's ready! Come get it before Pippin scoffs the whole lot!" Sam called. I sighed. Damn.

"Just save me an apple, Sam!" I called back, not wanting to leave the task til later, and began rubbing the balm into my face and neck first as I sat awkwardly on my pile of clothes.

A quiet throat clearing caused me to freeze, though.

"Er, lass?" The dwarf stood off to my right, gallantly looking at my face and not at my marred body.

"How the hell does an armour-clad _dwarf_ sneak up on me?" I muttered. He waited til I acknowledged him and went on, "I wanted to apologise… for what I said to ye the other day. I behaved atrociously to ye, and I would like to make up for it."

I stared at him suspiciously. "How?"

He looked humbly at his feet. "I can help you with your balm, if ye like. We dwarves have very strong hands, if ye know what I mean."

I stared at him, gobsmacked. "You're offering me a massage?"

The gruff dwarf went a little red. "Aye lass, but don't tell the others. They'll be rightly jealous."

I laughed and turned my back to him. "Alright, Master Gimli. Go right ahead."

"Oh dear lord, that's amazing," I sighed, turning to complete jelly as the dwarf worked his magical masseuse hands over my back and legs with healing balm.

"I fear I have underestimated you, Gimli. You're pure genius."

The dwarf chuckled and somehow got me to roll over onto my back in my blissful state. I immediately tensed when I realised what had happened, but he looked at me professionally and said, "Let me help you with your balm, lass, or it won't be even when the scars settle down." With that, he worked the balm skilfully into my marred skin, starting from my face again, all the way down to my feet. He wiped the excess from his hands into my short hair, which I figured would work as a good conditioner anyway, and I thanked him.

"Happy to be of service, Elise." The dwarf bowed with a smile and turned back the way he came, leaving me to get dressed. I felt quite lovely, after that.

When I returned to camp fully covered once more, I was eyed with suspicion from nearly everyone. Gandalf and Gimli seemed to be the only ones unperturbed. I took Sam's apple and began chomping on it happily.

"What were you doing that took you so long?" Boromir drilled me.

I smiled blissfully. "Nothing you need to be concerned about, dear man."

"What was _Gimli_ doing with you? It sounded like-" Pippin started, but Merry shut him up. Oh. Ohh! I laughed.

"Oh dear, perhaps I was a little loud!"

Gimli was smiling mischievously, so I walked over to him and kissed him on the mouth, causing gasps of shock and horror amongst the men.

"The _dwarf_?!" Boromir shouted.

We broke apart and laughed at them, and Gandalf joined us. "Elrond warned me of your mischief, Elise. I did not realise you would be quite so entertaining, though!"

"Mischief?" Legolas called out crossly. "That's far too unsettling to call mischief!"

"I was giving her a massage, for goodness sake!" Gimli roared, and the group went silent.

"A massage?" Strider repeated quietly. The dwarf nodded.

"For my scars," I clarified. "And it was wonderful. The best I've felt since I got here."

The fellowship all had embarrassed red faces at hearing this. I finished the apple and gave the core to Bill the pony.

"I'm going to bed now. Wake me up if you need me to do a shift. Goodnight all!" And with that, I laid down and went to sleep.

I was back in the hospital, watching my parents sleep in their bedside chairs. I had a look at the medical chart at the foot of my bed. My doctor was Dr Hugo. Huh. The irony of _that_ was not lost on me. He thought my brain activity was high for a person in a coma. Damn right it was! I was in Lord of the fucking Rings! Though with comas nothing was certain, Dr Hugo felt my chances of waking up were pretty good at this point. Yes! "Whoo! Back to the real world soon!" I smiled down at my bandaged body, and decided to try for attaching myself again. Disappointingly, it still hadn't worked, but somehow I'd managed to loosen my face bandage a little, so I tried very hard to lift it up and take a proper look at my real body.

I was shocked, to say the least. How the fuck could Elrond have been right about this? "You've got to be shitting me." My recovery in the real world was mirroring my recovery in Middle Earth. I still looked like I could pass for an orc or a goblin, but whatever.

"Still gotta find a reason to come back, I suppose."

Suddenly, my mother woke up and spotted my face. "Elise!" Pressing a button for help, she woke dad up. "She must have woken and we missed it!" she urged him. "Look, she moved her bandages!"

My dad looked at her sadly. "Don't you think she would have woken us up too, if she was awake, honey?"

The nurse came in then with a look of surprise. "Here, let me fix her bandages. Do you know how this happened?"

Mum opened her mouth to speak, but dad cut her off. "We have no idea."

Seeing the look on her face broke my heart again, and I was tugged away from the hospital at the sight of my parents arguing with each other.

"Elise, wake up!" Gandalf shook me a little and I sat up, tears streaming down my hooded face. "Come, my dear. It is morning. Share some breakfast with us."

I wiped my face on my sleeve and made my way over to the fire, where Sam dished me up a plate of food. After he dished up the last plate for Frodo, I poured water over the fire, putting it out. "Hey! What'd ya do that for?" he grumbled. "I was going to make tea."

"Won't have time," I muttered, brushing past him to sit with Gandalf on the rocks as I scarfed down my food. "Thanks Sam, you're the best cook ever!"

Sam waved off the compliment as he passed Frodo's plate to him. Boromir was busy teaching Merry and Pippin how to use a sword, while Strider gave them advice every now and again. "If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I _note_ they're not, I'd say we were taking the long way round!" Gimli mused. "Gandalf. We could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome!"

Gandalf disagreed firmly. "No, Gimli. I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."

I gave the old wizard a significant look, knowing it would soon come to that.

Legolas passed in front of us to stand beside Gimli and look into the distance.

Meanwhile, Boromir had accidentally whacked Pippin with his sword, causing the hobbit to drop his own and yelp in pain. "Sorry!" Boromir apologised quickly, but the hobbit was having none of that. He kicked the Gondorian in the shin, teamed up with Merry and together they tackled him to the ground. "For the Shire!" he cried, and Aragorn chuckled along with Boromir. However, when he tried to break up the tussle, the hobbits somehow managed to knock him down, too.

"What is that?" Sam asked, following Legolas' gaze.

"It's the Crebain from Dunland," I called out. "Pack up and hide!"

Everyone moved in haste to find a hiding place, and I ended up hiding beneath a giant boulder.

The evil birds flew fast and low past our heads, before circling back around and heading towards Isengard. After they'd gone, the company emerged from our hiding places. "Spies of Saruman," the wizard frowned. "The passage south is being watched. We must take the pass of Caradhras." He turned to look at the snowy peaks close by.

As we trudged along the white mountains, I could already feel the winds blowing fiercer than they appeared from our vantage point at last camp. There was no shelter so far, and no solace from the glare of the ice coating out path. I could feel my scarred skin tightening, and _oh_, how it hurt! I was trying to keep up with Frodo for the time being, when he stumbled, and rolled a fair way back the way he'd come. Aragorn picked him up, brushed him off.

The hobbit patted his neck, realising the ring was not there. I looked down at my feet. It was right in front of me. Seeing Boromir headed my way, I stepped on the ring, afraid to pick it up. The son of Gondor moved in beside me. "Did you see where it went?" He asked innocently.

I shook my head and pointed in another direction. "My hood kept me from seeing it. Why don't you have a look over there? It could have flown a fair way. Aragorn, you look the other way, and Frodo, get back up here and see if it's somewhere you fell."

Boromir did as I asked, and Strider pretended to look while he kept one hand on his hilt and a wary eye on me. Frodo had seen me hide it though, so he played along until he reached me and I lifted my foot off the Ring, letting the halfling pick it up and place it around his neck. He gave me a relieved smile, and I nodded back at him before calling out, "Stop looking, Frodo's found it again!"

Boromir came back swiftly, with a note of concern in his voice. "You must be careful, little one!"

I eyed him seriously and answered, "So must we all. Come! Let us not waste time!"

Grudgingly, the Man carried forward, leaving Frodo and me to wait for Strider as he caught up.

"That was well dealt, Miss Elise," Frodo said to me in a hushed tone. "I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to manage someone like you just did."

"What?" I shrugged. "Allow them their dignity? I think you're more than brave enough. Though, you probably should take some lessons in fighting, too. Then you'd be completely kickass."

He chuckled and I leaned down to whisper conspiratorially. "If at any point your feet cannot bear the snow, just say so and I'd be happy to carry you."

The halfling winked at me. "We hobbits have the sturdiest feet of anyone! I think I'd be dragging you before my feet give out."

"It's a wonder that hobbits do not go adventuring more often, then," I mused.

"Oi, Frodo! Don't keep the Lady all to yourself!" Gimli called back at us.

Boromir jeered, "Don't mind him, Frodo! He had plenty of her last night!"

The poor hobbit looked stunned, and Strider looked outraged at the soldier's poor manners. I shook my head, and strode forward to walk beside Boromir. He grinned cheekily at me, and I grabbed him once again by the ear, pulling him down to speak in a low, menacing voice. "Being a chauvinistic wart of a man will only get your pride and joy cut off when you go to sleep, savvy? I grew up castrating cows every day since I was six, mate, and let me tell you, it's not a skill you forget. So leave off the insults."

I noticed the elf looking at me in shock, since he'd heard every word.

Boromir simply nodded, and I released him, choosing to walk beside my dwarf friend.

The snowstorm was minimizing our movements to a determined crawl. Gandalf remained at the front of the procession, clearing our path for us since we were now varying from being waist-deep to chest-deep in snow. Legolas walked around us all, stepping lightly on the very top, and I remarked, "You've got to teach me how to do that."

He grinned briefly at me before hearing faint words on the wind. Moving forward, he mentioned to the wizard, "There is a fell voice on the air."

And then the chanting voice of Quenya was heard by the rest of us.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf shouted.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn called. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!" He called to the mountain in Sindarin, and at the same time I returned Saruman's call, letting my voice echo from the mountain. "OI, SARUMAN, YOU DICK-NOSE! YOU'RE TOO BIG OF A BLOODY COWARD TO OFF US YOURSELF, SO YOU GET A MOUNTAIN TO DO IT FOR YOU?! FUCKING SPINELESS OLD MAN!"

The White Wizard's chanting paused for a few moments after my words had echoed down into the distance. The Fellowship all looked at me strangely. "What? Elrond told me to participate. I'm participating."

The chanting resumed with more fervour all of a sudden, and a great pile of snow fell on top of us all. I was pulled out several moments later by Strider, bless him, and I spat out a mouthful of snow. "Thanks mate."

"We must get off the mountain!" Boromir cried, after everyone was sitting safely above the snow pile. "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard," Aragorn disagreed behind him.

"We cannot pass over a mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria," Gimli suggested.

"What say you, Lady Elise?" Legolas asked me loudly. I gave him a disparaging glance. "It is not my choice to make, Master Elf." I locked eyes with the Grey Wizard, who announced, "Let the Ringbearer decide." Gandalf shared a look with me, and I gave him a subtle nod.

Everyone then watched Frodo, and he surveyed us all with a concerned expression upon his face before choosing what seemed to him, the safest decision. "We will go through the mines."

Gandalf shut his eyes in resignation for a mere moment. "So be it."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"The walls… of Moria!" Gimli exclaimed exultantly. Yes, that's right, I fancied a bit of alliteration every so often in describing my imaginary adventure – if only to lighten up my own thoughts. Lord of the Rings were mega-serious movies as far as adventures go, since good ol' Peter Jackson took out most of the singing. Once again, Bilbo's adventure would have been much more appreciated, I thought for Tolkien and the Valar's benefit. Considering I'd already been incinerated once, at least Smaug would have been something of a familiar foe.

I was broken out of my personal musings by Gandalf's taunt to the dwarf about not being able to recognise the gates to their own homes. Legolas also muttered derisively, "Why am I not surprised?"

Gimli began to grumble, and I swatted the elf on the arm. "Child."

"Excuse me? I most certainly am not!" He scowled at me, and I smirked.

"Pretty should have no part of petty." Hehe. Alliteration. Getting into a rhythm I continued, "For petty does not make one pretty, but only precedes prideful posturing of the opposing person."

Noting the sulky expression on the ellon's face, I added with a grin, "Nor shall perfect pouting pardon the pretty from their pointed prejudicial remarks."

I could see this was entertaining everyone but Bill and the elf, so with a flourished bow, I finished, "Pleased with my play on words? It's been a pleasure performing to you all."

Gimli let out a deep belly laugh, while the hobbits applauded my verbal display. Gandalf winked at me, the men chuckled and finally, the elf permitted a tiny smile at my friendly scolding.

"Well, let's see. Ithildin," Gandalf muttered as he ran his hands over an engraved part along the Wall. "It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." The moon shone through the clouds just at that moment, illuminating the gates of Moria in a bright glow. The wizard look rightly pleased. "It reads," he gestured to the writing with his staff, "'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'"

"What do you s'pose that means?" Merry asked.

"Oh, it's quite simple," the wizard said confidently. "If you're a friend, speak the password. The doors will open." Clasping his staff with both hands, the Grey pressed it against the centre of the gates and spoke in elvish and then dwarvish. After nothing happened, I sighed and sat by Frodo.

"Nothing happened," Pippin stated the obvious.

Gandalf was perplexed. "I once knew every spell in the tongues of Elves, Men and Orcs," he tried to press against the doors, to see if they would budge. They did not.

"What are you going to do now, then?" Pippin asked. The wizard was frustrated, and a little embarrassed, and so I cringed along with Pippin at his harsh response. "I'll bash your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if that doesn't shatter them, and I can get some peace from foolish questions," his anger quelled a little, and now only embarrassment remained in his tone, "I shall try to find the opening words." I decided to speed things along, seeing as Frodo had already alerted the Watcher in the Water when he slipped along the bank of the marshes.

"Perhaps it's just me," I began quietly, "but I thought dwarves were less spell casters than they were riddle-masters."

"You believe it's a riddle?" Frodo looked up at me.

"Do you not?" I replied. The hobbit was well-read, so when he carefully looked at the inscription, I was not surprised when he got the 'Aha!' moment. "Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the elvish word for friend?" He turned to Gandalf, who spoke the word slowly. "Mellon."

The doors immediately opened, grinding stone against stone. I waited for the hobbits to go in before striding in behind them, watching as the previously stagnant water began lapping against the bank of its own accord.

As we all walked inside, Gimli began boasting amiably to the elf. "Soon, Master Elf, you'll enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin. And they call it a mine! A mine!" Poor Gimli, he was so excited to be visiting family, he hadn't realised what Boromir had. Gandalf did something subtle with his staff, creating white light.

The son of Gondor was the bearer of bad news. "This is no mine. It's a tomb."

Everyone gasped as they realised they'd been walking on the bones of slain dwarves.

Gimli cried out several "No's" as he raced to identify the fallen.

Legolas picked up a bow and scrutinized it. "Goblins," he said in alarm.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We never should have come here," Boromir said. "Now get out of here, get out!"

I, however, pushed the hobbits further in before being grabbed around the ankle by the terrible, lurking beastie. "Oof!"

Pulling out my small dagger, I sliced the tentacle clean off my ankle, and scrambled back indoors. "Everyone get as far inside as you can! The Watcher's awake!"

The others were quick to believe me, considering the swift return of the tentacles. Angry that it couldn't reach its dinner, the beastie tried to pull itself out of the water by holding onto the doors of Moria. However, it only succeeded in creating a cave-in, trapping us in the dark.

Gandalf tapped his staff, bringing light back into the mine, and started leading the procession once more. "We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world. Quietly now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."

And so we crept into the mines, following Gandalf's lead as he warily picked his way deeper into Moria.

We'd made it three whole days (by Gandalf's measurement) without incident, and had been climbing a particularly steep set of stairs, when upon reaching the top; the Grey confessed he had no memory of this place. And so we sat waiting for the old man to gather his bearings, and rested.

"Are we lost?" the youngest hobbit asked quietly.

"No." Merry whispered back.

"I think we are."

"Sshh! Gandalf's thinking."

"Merry?"

"What?" the other hobbit was getting annoyed.

"I'm hungry."

All the compulsive smokers pulled out their pipes and lit up, but Gimli sat alone and full of grief. I chose to sit by him, and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"You knew about this, lass?" he bit out.

I nodded. "Among many other things, Gimli. It's not always a happy adventure. It's… real life." For you, I added silently.

He brushed away my arm, accent thickening with the strength of his emotions. "And ye didne think to spare me the shock?"

"No. I want to influence this journey as little as I possibly can," I told him with a note of sorrow in my voice. "I am sorry if that means the end of our friendship, but in the long run, there are a lot of things Tolkien put into this story that should not be changed."

Gimli grunted. "I never said we'd stop being friends, lass. You're a good lady. When we're out of here and find shelter, I'll give you another massage. The cold wouldn't have been good for yer skin."

I squeezed his hand in thanks.

"Ah!" the wizard proclaimed. "It's that way!"

"He's remembered!" Merry said, as we all rose to our feet.

"No," Gandalf replied brightly, "but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."

We descended another set of stairs, and stepped into a rather vast space.

"Let me risk a little more light," the wizard murmured, letting the light from his staff expand into a wider arc. "Behold the great realm and Dwarf-city of Dwarrowdelf."

"Now there's an eye opener, and no mistake," Sam marvelled. I admit, for all my doubts that this world was real, I was in awe. We travelled through the city with quiet deference, until the point where Gimli spotted a room with light filtering into it. It was the tomb of Balin. Feeling I may have upset Gimli further, I stayed by the door when the rest of the Fellowship followed him into the room.

Gandalf's voice echoed as he read, "Here lies Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." Taking off his pointy hat, he murmured, "He is dead then. It's as I feared." I knew what would happen next, listening to the dwarf speak in his native tongue, and began formulating a plan in my head.

Soon enough, clumsy little Pippin caused the bones of a dwarf to crash all the way down a well, followed by a chain and bucket. The sounds echoed for several long seconds before the Grey exclaimed, "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time, and rid us of your stupidity."

And then the drums sounded, and screeching could be heard in the deep. I muttered the famous words to an approaching Boromir, "They have a cave troll," before slamming the doors shut in his face and unmasking my own. I looked horrendous enough to pass for an orc at the moment, so why not?

When they arrived, they peered at me in bewilderment.

"A lady orc?" one screeched. I grinned menacingly. "My bad, I knocked one over when I was searching for some good weapons."

And then the cave troll came into view. Holy guacamole, he was huge.

"Hello, handsome," I looked up at him. The cave troll rolled its head around in confusion, wondering who I was talking to. "Yes, you," I encouraged him. "You look like a real ladies' man."

The big guy smiled simply at me, and I smiled back. "I bet you'd know how to show a girl a good time, huh?"

He nodded slowly, staring at me with his night-vision eyes. "Well, come on then! Show me what you got! How strong are you, big guy?"

With a happy little roar, he swung his giant club around, sending the entire scout of orcs flying, simultaneously snapping the chain attached to his neck, and then picked me up in his other hand. I kissed him on the cheek. "Wow! That was so amazing! I knew you'd be the perfect guy for me! So, what may I call a real gentleman like yourself? How about Tex, for Texan Charm?"

Smitten, the cave troll smiled sweetly at me and nodded.

"Tex it is, then. You know, I have some… acquaintances in that room that I'd like to send outta the mines, but I can't do it when all those jealous orc men are always hitting on me."

Before I could ask, the cave troll roared, bashed the door down with one swing of his club and I hollered, "Don't attack!"

Slowly, the Fellowship members all ventured to the door and looked up at me, experiencing varying levels of shock. Aragorn, Gimli, Merry and Pippin were the only ones to have seen my face, and so when the others recoiled or reached for their weapons, I wasn't surprised.

"Well I'm impressed, lass. You actually _did_ charm a cave troll!" Gimli said smartly. I kissed the cave troll again on the cheek.

"C'mon, Tex. Which way to the bridge of Khazad-dum?" He grunted and began moving quite quickly for a creature so heavy, and the Fellowship hurriedly put aside their shock in order to get moving. The city was soon crawling with orcs, and we were lucky to make it halfway across before becoming completely surrounded.

Tex roared in a way that reminded me of a lion, and after scooping up my friends, swung around and around and around, knocking out forty or fifty orcs at once. He did this many times, thinning their numbers at a surprisingly rapid pace. However, the only thing that served to truly drive them away was the loud growl of the Balrog in the distance. They all scrambled up the pillars, screeching as they went. Even Tex looked a tiny bit afraid, and I rubbed his back. "You've helped me so much already, Tex. If you want to leave now, you can."

He grunted, shook his head, and fixed a rather determined expression on his face. And then, holding all of us in his arms, he ran faster than ever towards the bridge. He was so faithful, this guy. I think it was possible I'd made an inherently evil character into a minion for good. How exciting!

As we ran, Boromir managed to ask the wizard, "What is this new devilry?"

It was quiet for a moment as Gandalf reluctantly replied, "A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you!"

At that explanation, everyone seemed to get chills.

Tex was much smarter than he looked. Where Boromir nearly fell in the movie, the cave troll bounded from staircase to staircase, using his downward momentum to speed on. He crossed the gap that took the fellowship a good few minutes in a mere step along the way, but somehow even yet, the Balrog gained on us. When we had reached the hall that led to the narrow bridge, the demon appeared in flame behind us. It stopped to roar at us, sounding like a wild bushfire that fells trees, and Tex set us all down. Releasing me, he pushed me away with the others and I shouted, "No, Tex!"

The cave troll grasped me by the shoulders and crooned mournfully to me. He was telling me to go.

I rested my forehead against his. "My name is Elise," I whispered to him. "You, Texan Charm, are the most gallant gentleman I have ever met. I will remember you always."

Pecking him soundly on the mouth, his eyes filled with wonder and he turned his back on me to keep the demon at bay.

Gandalf ushered me in front of him, and we sprinted for the bridge.

What I did not expect upon looking back, however, was for the Balrog to pick up my cave troll in one hand and swallow him whole and roaring.

"TEX!" I screamed. Legolas pulled me away as we crossed the bridge and ran up the stairs, and I screamed again, but this time in rage. "YOU FUCKING ATE MY CAVE TROLL, YOU BLOODY, FUCKING SHITHEAD!"

And then the next bad thing happened. Gandalf stopped on the bridge and faced the Balrog, too. "You cannot pass!" he shouted with authority. Frodo stopped climbing the stairs to watch in fear. "Gandalf!"

The demon flapped it's bat-like wings and stood taller, flames pouring out of it in a show of dominance. The wizard continued, "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun!" He created a shield of white light, so that when the Balrog tried to strike him with its flaming sword, the wizard was unharmed. It roared in frustration at the Grey, who held his ground. "Go back to the Shadow."

It was like a contrary child, and took one taunting step forward, now wielding its flaming whip.

Gandalf roared, "YOU… SHALL NOT… PASS!" and his voice echoed with power. He held his sword and staff together, and slammed the bottom of his staff down on the bridge before him. The small burst of white light was puny compared to the giant flame of the demon, but I knew better.

It snorted in defiance, stepping forward to attack when the bridge holding it up collapsed, and it fell into the deep shadow.

Everyone sighed in relief, and the wizard turned around with a small smile as well. That lasted for a millisecond of course, because the Balrog whipped Gandalf so he slipped and hung over the edge of the bridge, his sword and staff both flung over the side. Frodo started racing down to help him, and it was Boromir who restrained the halfling. "No! No!" he cried, while Frodo was busy calling for the wizard. Mithrandir managed to hold himself up long enough to scold us.

"Fly, you fools!" And then he let go and fell into Shadow after the Balrog.

"NO!" Frodo screamed, having to be picked up by Boromir.

"Aragorn!" the son of Gondor called. Strider was still standing, paralysed in shock, but he quickly raced up after us as orcs began shooting arrows again.

We all sprinted out into broad daylight in the foothills, and immediately everyone was taken over by their grief at the loss of the wise old man. Sam sat down with his head in his hand and cried. Boromir had to restrain Gimli now, who wanted to race back in and do who knows what. Merry stared out glassy-eyed, squeezing Pip's shoulder as the youngest hobbit lay in his lap and wept. Legolas looked confused and forlorn, unable to weep for his friend as the others could so easily. And me? I was at a loss for what to do.

I could take comfort in the fact that Gandalf was not dead, but the others could not. I was never more afraid than I was right now.

Aragorn managed to express all his anger and disappointment towards me in the one piercing look while he cleaned his sword. I pulled my hood over my head and he called, "Legolas, get them up." The ellon gave him a blank look before doing as he was told. Boromir, who was occupied with comforting the dwarf retorted, "Give them a moment, for pity's sake!"

Strider was all authoritative now, though. "By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with Orcs. We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come, Boromir. Legolas. Gimli, get them up."

He ran swiftly and pulled Sam up, clapping him on the shoulder. "On your feet, Sam." Strider was quick to notice the absence of the Ringbearer. "Frodo? Frodo!" We all looked to the hobbit that'd walked a ways from us, and he turned to acknowledge Aragorn, tears staining his heartbroken face.

Recognising my burden and the added guilt I was carrying, Gimli took my hand and walked beside me for the rest of the day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily!" Gimli promised. I smiled a little, beginning to cheer up. He'd eat those words soon enough. "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox."

We were suddenly faced with several arrows directed point blank at our faces, and the dwarf gasped in surprise. Haldir of Lorien stepped out between a couple archers and remarked condescendingly, "The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark."

I smiled wider. I'd missed the commonly condescending humour of the elves.

Aragorn greeted him respectfully in Sindarin, and with a slight nod, we were escorted to one of the elvish flets, which we reached by nightfall.

The Marchwarden began his greetings with Legolas, in elvish, and then to Aragorn. I sat down beside the dwarf and, considering I had a pretty good memory of the movies, murmured a translation as they spoke, "Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil."

"Our Fellowship stands in your debt."

"Aragorn of the Dunedein, you are known to us."

"Must they speak in elvish?" the dwarf grumbled. "It's impolite to the rest of us."

Throwing back my hood, I eyed him sceptically. "If a dwarf were welcoming you in front of something like the Fellowship, would you both not speak your native tongue as well?"

Gimli shook his head adamantly. "Tis most rude."

I grinned. "I wish you could come to where I live and teach that sort of courtesy to the Asians at Macca's!"

Not that I have a problem with people speaking their own language, and at MacDonald's no less, but it still has a tendency make people suspicious that nasty things are being said about them.

"I didn't really understand those references, lass, but I thank ye for the sentiment."

Haldir now stood before us, eyeing us both with distaste and suspicion.

"Whatever caused you to bring an orc on your journey?"

Keeping my eyes downcast, I remarked to the dwarf, "You see, Gimli son of Gloin, this is the fine thing about elves. They are not known as cowards, and so they will face you directly and make sure you clearly understand their insult. The unfortunate thing is that their sense of humour and their deliberate insults are so similar, it can be quite difficult to respond accordingly if you are not used to it. For example, Haldir of Lorien greeted us today with a very well timed, rather condescending joke. Right now, however, I should very much like what you offered earlier, somewhere private if at all possible, before I return to complete cover where my tears may remain unnoticed."

"Aye, lass," Gimli helped me up and we brushed past Haldir and the other archers of Lorien.

Boromir called after us. "Don't take too long, Elise, we'll be going soon!"

"No problem," I called back as Gimli and I made our way down beneath the flet to a blind spot where none were watching.

I smirked when Sam the Bold told off Haldir for "insulting our fair lady."

Once again, I was sent into bliss when Gimli went through his routine, though he himself seemed appalled. "Oh, dear lass, we should never have taken you through up into the Pass of Caradhras! This'll take a long time to fix, this will."

"Whatever damage it did saved you all from fighting off thousands of orcs, so it served a purpose, at least." I murmured.

The dwarf merely grunted, and continued kneading balm into my skin.

"Do ye think Aragorn will convince the elf to let us seek sanctuary?"

I smiled. "They're well within hearing distance, Master Dwarf."

"Right, right. Not wanting to influence what matters," the red-haired warrior grumbled, finishing up at last.

"It's a fine line between participation and influence," I reminded him, as I started putting on my layers of clothes. "And it really sucks cow crap that I can't fix everything and do stuff like … But Lord Elrond believed I wouldn't be able to get back to my world if I did things the wrong way. And he was right about other things already, so I don't think I can risk it."

"And that's why you didn't tell us about Gandalf, too? So you could get back to your world?" the dwarf sounded hurt.

I shook my head. "No, that's not it, Gimli. Let me tell you something. Tolkien's stories are my favourites, and the end to this story is a good one. In order for us to reach it though, I can't change certain important plot points. Us going through Moria and losing Gandalf was absolutely crucial. Can you trust me on that?"

The warrior nodded reluctantly. I wrapped my scarf around my neck and the bottom half of my face, before flipping the hood over my head to cover the top half, and then pulled on the soft riding gloves Arwen had given me to disguise my scarred hands.

"Can you tell how ugly I am anymore?" I asked, and the dwarf shook his head sadly. "Nay. Though you've never been ugly to me, lass."

"Let's go up then, and see if they're blue in the face from arguing yet."

When we climbed back up to the level, all our company were sitting down, except for Aragorn, who was arguing quietly with Haldir in Sindarin.

Sam called me over, and so I went to sit with him. "Seems we're gonna be here a while, Miss Elise. Why don't you try to sleep? I'll wake you up before we have to go."

I gave his shoulder a squeeze. "You're a real sweetheart, Sam. Thanks."

The hobbit blushed and smiled sheepishly at me while I curled up on the flet and shut my eyes.

"It's been more than a month, now. Over a _month_! Why hasn't she woken up?" My mother was speaking sternly to an innocent nurse just outside the door, and my father was asleep. The woman shook her head, "I'm sorry ma'am. I don't know. Dr Hugo still believes she'll wake up, but we can't predict anything for sure."

"So you're saying she may _not_ wake up after all?"

"I'm _saying_ it's not something we can predict."

Turning away from that conversation, I sat on the bed and watched my father sleep, until the familiar tug pulled me away.

However, it was not to reality I was taken, but to a waking dream. _You are not of this world,_ the White Lady stood before me at her own flet, speaking to me with her mind. _And you are not quite of your own world, either._

True, Cate Blanchett had her likeness, but by golly this woman was radiant! Perhaps the enchantment she held over everyone was something you had to see in person, but I did not wonder that she was loved by everybody. Hell, _I_ loved her! She had this ethereal quality about her, a captivating beauty united with a commanding presence.

Stepping forward, she grasped my hand and smiled lightly. "You have come here with the intent of changing fate, but you are not certain whether it will change for good or for evil. Tell me, what is it you seek to change, Maiden of Fate?"

"I wonder at Boromir's destiny."

She held my gaze for a long moment and finally replied, "Allow me to search in my mirror, Lady Elise, and perhaps, by the time your company arrives I shall have an answer for you."

With a slight smile, she faded away, and I reappeared in my hospital room. This was growing tiresome. I longed to wake up, and funnily enough, the tug came automatically this time.

I blinked and sat up. Aragorn and Haldir were still talking in Sindarin.

"You're awake!" Sam cried.

I nodded. "My dreams make me more weary than my waking moments at present, Sam."

Getting up, I stretched and sat by Legolas' feet (since he would not sit), and leaned on his legs. He looked down at me in confusion. "Elise," he said, and I patted his foot. "In my world, your doppelganger is married to an Australian lingerie model."

His brows furrowed further. I explained, "Australia is where I come from, and it's the biggest island country in the world.

And a model is usually a tall, voluptuous woman who prances up and down a walkway in front of thousands of people, wearing newly designed clothes. It's a well-paid job."

Legolas responded, "That sounds lovely. What's… lingerie?"

I grinned, though he couldn't see it. "It's very sexy underwear. Usually shows off a _lot_ of skin, and women wear it to make men's blood boil. Obviously, Orlando is quite protective of his wife."

On cue, the ellon blushed a lovely shade of pink, which even managed to reach the tips of his elf ears. "Indeed," he choked. "Your world is a strange one, mellon."

I chuckled. "You're right, and I know you mean to say debased. Things here are much more pure, both for good or evil. It's refreshingly black and white."

The ellon crouched down to speak in a hushed voice. "Will I ever take a wife?"

Aw, how sweet was he? Hundreds, maybe thousands of years old, and he still maintained a level of naïve vulnerability in topics like girls and marriage.

"That's up to you, Legolas," I responded just as quietly.

Releasing a small sigh, he finally sat down and admitted, "I fear to bond, Elise. I am a warrior among my people, and my home is filled with many dangers. If I were killed by whatever evil may confront me, I would waste the life of another just by having bonded with them."

I chuckled. "Noble Greenleaf, to think of others like that. I suppose since all us humans die anyway, it's something we wouldn't understand."

He gave me a rare smile, and I nudged him, getting up to check on Aragorn's progress. Dawn was approaching, and something was suspicious about Haldir's adamant refusal. I marched towards them. "Oi, Haldir! Galadriel didn't say we couldn't come, so what's the holdup?"

He and Aragorn stopped their conversation and turned to me, stunned. Haldir appeared slightly guilty, though he was quick to cover it with an expression of mild surprise. "My Lady has spoken to you?"

Strider looked angry, considering he was still grieving for Gandalf and didn't want to talk to me.

I focussed on the ellon, though. "You're gonna stand there in all your arrogance and hold us here while we're busting our guts on a mission to save Middle Earth? What the flying fuck's wrong with you?"

Aragorn pulled a face that probably meant, 'Shut up. Don't anger him.'

"No, Strider. I'm serious, and I'm sick of being patient! Allow me to enlighten you. This quest claims several lives over the course of several months, _all_ of which I know about. When, who, where.

Your lord and lady are not a part of that count, Haldir, so lose the paranoid act. But so help me _God_, if I get taken off life support in my own world because I'm sitting here listening to you two _argue_, I will castrate _you_ instead of Boromir before I die!"

The two of them just stood there gaping. I stepped forward into the ellon's personal space and growled, "You're a _Marchwarden_, Haldir. So get the fuck marching!" For an added measure, I whacked him on the arse with the flat of my blade, causing him to jump into action.

Suddenly very obliging, the ellon herded up the Fellowship and bade us follow him. "She's quite terrifying, isn't she?" Boromir remarked to the cowed ellon.

I smiled widely beneath my hood.

Aragorn reproached me quietly as we walked several paces behind Haldir. "That was incredibly rude, Elise."

I shrugged. "I know. He knew I called his bluff, though."

"Why did you do it?"

"He won't admit it now, but he liked it. His doppelganger suggested that with all their spare time, they invented elf-wheels for running, just to pass the monotony."

"What? No, not that!"

"Huh?" I looked at the Ranger.

"Why did you allow Gandalf to face the Balrog?" He clarified with accusation in his tone.

I whacked Strider upside the head. "Seriously? Stupid question!"

The Ranger rubbed his sore head and looked at me darkly.

Huffing, I rolled my eyes and explained, "It ate Tex-"

"Your cave troll?" the tone in his voice expressed Aragorn's bewilderment as to why I was bringing this up.

"Yes, and _he_ was stronger than all of us. The Balrog wanted out. Middle Earth doesn't need one of those running around, and Gandalf knew that, so he stopped it. If it were anyone else on that bridge, we'd have been swallowed whole just like Tex."

Aragorn sighed after a long moment of consideration, and bowed his head. "I am sorry, Elise. You are right, that _was_ incredibly stupid of me. From here on I shall trust your actions, or your silence, as best."

"Those words are music to my ears, Aragorn," I smiled, knowing he couldn't tell I was now focussed on appreciating the marchwarden's sexy gait. He moved like a freaking tiger.

_You spanked my Marchwarden?_ The Lady asked suddenly in my mind, a teasing note to her voice. I giggled, and the Marchwarden turned his head to quirk an eyebrow at me.

I replied, _In my defence, Lady Galadriel, he was wilfully disregarding the shorter lifespan of nearly every individual in our Fellowship. Only one in our company has all the time in the world._

Her response was a chiming laugh, and then,_ My Marchwarden acts out of devotion to those he respects. He did not appreciate being smacked about by an infant._

I laughed again, receiving a strange look from Strider now. _What hope does he have if an infant can get away with spanking the famed Marchwarden of Lorien?_

_I believe he shall take it as fair payment for calling you an orc, dear maiden, but I would not attempt it again, were I you, _she told me lightly. _I will meet you in my private garden after greeting the Fellowship. Haldir will escort you there once the company awaits me and my husband… Considering you already know what will be said, missing it shall be of no consequence._

I grinned. _As you wish, milady._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

True to his orders, Haldir led us up to the highest flet in Caras Galadhron and after telling the rest of the Fellowship to wait there, he glanced at me. I broke away from the group and followed the ellon back down as my companions silently wondered where I was off to. In a show of congenial forgiveness, he took my gloved hand in his own, guiding me down the winding stairs as Celeborn would for Galadriel.

Now that there were less of us and the Lady was not distracting me, I froze mid-step when my eyes caught the view of the city, namely, the long way down, my hands automatically gripping his arm. Aware that Haldir was now observing me curiously, I quickly swapped sides so I was on the inside curve and stared at him. Slightly amused, Haldir offered me his other hand and did not comment until we had resumed our descent.

"You fear heights, Lady Elise?"

"They've been unkind to me in the past," I answered softly.

"Then it is good that you and your company shall sleep on the forest floor during your stay."

I nodded. The conversation lapsed into silence, and I was embarrassed to say I once again clung to the marchwarden's arm, causing him to ask mischievously, "Would it ease your mind any if I carried you, milady?"

My face flushed so hot it was muggy beneath my hood, and I had to force casualness into my voice. "That would depend on how you carry me, Haldir."

"Oh?"

I explained, "If you should carry me like a sack of potatoes, for example, I would have to decline your offer."

The ellon laughed heartily. "Ah, Lady Elise! There is only one _proper_ way to carry a lady, and should you continue clinging to me in such a manner, I fear I must demonstrate! Allow me-"

In one swift movement he had me swept up into his arms, bridal style. Carefully pulling my hood down low over my face, I wrapped my arms around the marchwarden's neck and leaned my head against his shoulder. "I'd appreciate if you wouldn't drop me now that I'm at your mercy," I told him nervously. "If I'm too heavy-"

Haldir fixed me with a hard look. "You underestimate the durability of elves, milady. You are but a feather in my arms."

An ugly, orc-like representation of a feather, I added silently to myself. Charming as he now was, the only thing that made me bearable to all men was the concealment of my skin.

"You are right about one thing, however," he added in a dark tone. "You _are_ completely at my mercy now."

I grinned. "I shall consider a lovely way to make up for my offense toward you, Master Elf," I promised, already knowing exactly what I would do for him.

"Indeed you shall," he agreed mock-seriously, "for I shall be teased relentlessly by my lord and lady long after you leave!"

I giggled at him, and then was reminded of a random thing. "So, _do_ you have elf wheels?"

"What?" he looked baffled.

"Wheels, like on a cart, only bigger, and structured to fit an elf inside and not go anywhere."

Haldir gave me a 'WTF are you smoking?' look so I continued, "Where I come from, they're for guinea pigs or hamsters – fat, cute, rodent-like creatures – when they get bored. So they just run, and run, and run until they're tired and go to sleep."

"And you think Elves are the same?" He fixed me with a cool gaze.

I shook my head. "Everyone here has a doppelganger in my world, who acted out the story according to Tolkien."

"Tolkien?" his interest was piqued.

"Yes, Tolkien," I sighed. "Anyway, _your_ doppelganger found out that a girl named her hamster after you, and so he joked that it's funny, because elves have giant elf wheels to run on when they get bored, just like hamsters."

The ellon rolled his eyes. "What a silly thing to say."

"_But_," I pointed out, "it serves as an amusing answer to what the hell you do to occupy yourselves for thousands of years." At that, he smiled.

The cheeky ellon had refused to put me down when we reached the forest floor, and so when Galadriel finally joined us in her personal garden, she smiled at the picture of Haldir getting me back in his own annoying way.

"I would see your eyes, Lady Elise, for you look far too comfortable in my Marchwarden's arms to be staying awake," she teased.

I shook my head. "I'd rather be put down if you please, Haldir."

He looked to his Lady who smirked but nodded, and he set me down gently on my feet before leaving us to our privacy.

"I have looked in my Mirror," she said, advancing before me, and I waited for her to go on.

_The fate of the son of Gondor was set in stone the day he looked upon the One Ring. I'm afraid his destiny cannot be altered without seriously damaging the fate of the world._

"I am sorry, dear child."

I bowed my head and was silent for a long time.

When I answered, my voice was full of sadness. "Then I shall not attempt to change it. Thank you for your help, milady."

Her gaze did not falter. "There is something else."

_You have not told the others that Mithrandir will come back._

Nodding, I said, "They needed to come up with a drive of their own, and I feared they would not have it if I simply told them all I know."

She smiled as though I'd pleased her. "Your own strength will be uncovered surely enough, Maiden of Fate, when you reach your potential."

The Lady of the Wood had a few more things to talk about before I was sent off with a kiss to the head and an elvish blessing which I failed to understand, but accepted graciously anyway.

Of course when I went out of Galadriel's garden Haldir was out of sight, so I was quick to lose myself, trying to find my companions.

"Damn! Where the hell am I?" After about an hour of wandering aimlessly with no sign of the Fellowship, I huffed and laid down on the ground, determined to at least get some sleep.

A soft chuckle and a few words of Sindarin caught my attention, though. Opening my eyes to locate the sound of whichever local I'd disturbed, I spotted them a few paces away, leaning against a tree. One of Haldir's archers. I sat up and stared at him. "What's so funny?" I already knew Haldir was one of the few who'd travelled wide enough to learn Westron, but by this point I didn't care. Just about any company was welcome.

The ellon pushed away from the tree and approached me, holding out a hand. Allowing him to help me up, I introduced myself. "I'm Elise. What's your name?"

He seemed to understand me enough, and replied, "Rumil."

I cocked my head. "Ahh, Rumil. Brother of Haldir?"

He squinted at me in confusion.

"Haldir, Orophin, and Rumil?"

He ahhed in understanding and nodded, repeating my phrase and pointing to himself. As we started walking he spoke to me in Sindarin, making a lot of gestures so I'd understand. He was telling me some kind of story, but it took me several moments to realise he was actually making some comment about me spanking his brother. I watched him a little longer, trying to figure out what he meant, when none other than the topic of our conversation stepped out in front of us.

"He hopes you shall not have cause to discipline any other elves you may come across, namely him for being my brother," the Marchwarden translated.

I sighed, "You spoiled all my fun, Haldir. I was trying to figure it out myself."

Placing a reassuring hand on Rumil's shoulder, I shook my head. "No, I believe it was a one-time occurrence, Rumil. You're quite safe from my wrath."

Haldir addressed his younger brother in Sindarin, and the latter bowed to me with a smile before departing, leaving the two of us to walk the rest of the way.

"I had an errand to run. I apologise for not being back in time to escort you to your sleeping quarters; I thought there would be more to discuss."

I shrugged. "No worries."

"My Lord and Lady seek to keep you here when the Fellowship departs – at Lord Elrond's behest."

I was shaking my head vigorously before he finished his sentence. "No. No, _no way_, I'm not staying."

He looked at me curiously. "Why?"

"Several reasons." I began ticking off my fingers. "It was his idea in the first place, and I'm not backing out now. I don't see why he's changed his mind all of a sudden. Two, I'm getting better all the time, and I'd rather not waste more time here. Three, I've got to make sure everything happens the way it's supposed to. And also, I'm going wherever Gimli's going, and that's with the Fellowship."

Haldir halted and stepped back from me. "Is the dwarf your bond-mate?"

I pulled a face at his assumption, and then realised he couldn't see my expressions, so I shook my head firmly. "He's my physical therapist. Gimli is a _very _talented masseuse, and he's been rubbing Elrond's healing lotion into my skin as often as we can afford to."

The elf looked me up and down briefly. "We do have physicians here who can do that task as well-"

I shook my head once again. "No disrespect to your physicians, but I seriously don't believe they can match Gimli's skill for it."

Haldir seemed sceptical of the idea that a dwarf could surpass an elf in anything. I added sheepishly, "… And aside from those who saw me when my burns were obvious, Gimli's the only one who wasn't repulsed by my appearance, immediately or otherwise."

The ellon appeared shamed by that statement. He averted his eyes, blushing to the very tips of his lovely ears. I took pity on him. "I make a startling first impression, Haldir. I can quite literally charm a cave troll with this face. Come, where am I to sleep, my friend?"

We resumed our leisurely pace, and Haldir asked, "You mean to say, you _did_ charm a cave troll?"

I nodded, smiling to myself. "In the mines of Moria. I called him Tex, short for Texan Charm. He was a fine cave troll. So gallant."

"What happened?"

I filled my voice with melodrama and began, "The tale of our love is a sad one, Master Elf, and I doubt there will be another like it. Ever fleeting was our time together, but also powerful. He quickly became fond of me for looking past his appearance and singling him out from many other more likely suitors. _I_ admired him for his strength and his desire to please, but he soon came to show other amiable qualities. He was smart, quick, and behaved agreeably to my friends when we were introduced. He fended off thousands of orcs in my honour, and then carried us all the way to the bridge of Khazad-dum in his arms. But it was his end that was most memorable, Haldir. You see, we were being chased by a Balrog of Morgoth, and it was gaining on us. When he saw that we would not make it to the bridge in time, Texan Charm let us go. He made _sure_ to push me out of danger, and turned to face the demon alone." My eyes welled up with tears as I retold the last part of the story. "He could have left us at any time and saved himself, but my Tex was ever faithful. I saw this determined look come over his face, and I know he changed, just for me. He bought us just enough time to get across the bridge. And when I turned around to look at him once more, the demon had picked him up and swallowed him whole."

"It seems you transformed this cave troll, Elise, rather than charmed him," Haldir mused. "My Lady calls you the Maiden of Fate. Indeed, she must be right."

After another bout of silence, the elf spoke up suddenly in a very resolute tone. "I do not wish for you to hide your skin on my account, milady. I was rude to you, and I shall ever regret my behaviour. It was wrong. Would you please allow me the honour of looking into your eyes when we speak?"

I froze in place and he stood before me, waiting. Feeling incredibly insecure at his piercing gaze, I looked at my feet and wrung my hands uncertainly.

"I do not know whether your motive is pity or regret, Haldir, but if it is either, I should not wish for you to look upon me again."

His answer was immediate. "I ask it in the hope that we may become friends, and that you would not be afraid of me."

I felt like I'd been winded. The elf was astute; he'd not missed a single tiny action that gave me away. Slowly, hesitantly, I pulled away the hood that covered my eyes and blinked away fresh, embarrassed tears.

Haldir closed the small distance between us and lifted his hands to unwrap the scarf as well. When my face was completely exposed, he smiled and pressed a hand to his heart. "Mae govannen, Elise."

I returned the gesture, though I kept my eyes down. "Mae govannen, Haldir."

He took my hand and started walking again, but I yawned and stumbled a little. Without a word, Haldir swept me off my feet for the second time tonight, choosing to carry me the rest of the way back.

"I'll get fat and lazy and look more like a goblin than an orc if you make a habit of this," I scolded half-heartedly, but _oh_, how comfortable he was!

"Goblins are no fatter than orcs," he reasoned amusedly, but I retorted, "The Goblin King sixty years ago was. He even had a scrotum beard!"

"Scrotum beard?" the elf looked at me dubiously.

"Scrotum beard!" I said loudly, and then laughed.

"You could not be confused for neither goblin nor orc with such a heart warming smile as yours," Haldir told me sincerely.

"Master Elf, you are being uncommonly familiar with me!" I admonished.

His rejoinder was quick and made me blush. "Spanking an elf on the rear will do that, if it doesn't cause them to hold a grudge against you for thousands of years."

I wriggled about to annoy him. "You're surprisingly cushy for a warrior."

"And you're surprisingly terrifying for a mortal woman," he responded in an exasperated tone, loosening his hold to scare me a little. The ellon grinned cheekily when I tightened my own grip on him and remarked, "We are nearly there, so you can rest peacefully soon."

"If only it were that simple," I sighed. "I just go back to stand over my body, watching my parents fight or weep or sleep as I'm lying in a coma."

Haldir gazed at me sharply. "I believe I understand what Lord Elrond was referring to now."

I returned the sharp look, and the Marchwarden explained, "He said you were unable to separate yourself from what holds you back, and needed to develop independence from it in order to look at yourself clearly."

Sighing, I leaned against his chest, too tired to argue about it. At last, we reached the Fellowship's sleeping quarters, but instead of putting me down as I'd expected, the ellon just kept on walking. "Where are we going?" I yawned, snuggling into his chest.

"You did not think we would expect you to sleep amongst a large group of males?" He asked with a smile. "No, milady, you have your own tent."

"They're all gentlemen," I countered, "and I'm remarkably ugly."

"Actually, you endear yourself the longer one watches you." He said lightly.

I ignored the compliment and instead inquired, "Will you stay?"

"I shall stay."

Satisfied, I didn't attempt to keep my eyes open any longer, and succumbed to the sweet darkness calling me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Where am I?" I couldn't see my own hand in front of my face, it was so dark.

"You're nowhere at the moment," Haldir's voice echoed all around so I couldn't locate him. "What do you mean?" I asked.

There was silence for a few long moments and I called out in fright. "Haldir?"

"Be calm" he reassured. "I'm moving us away from the elven-dream realm to find a suitable environment for your meditation. Somewhere you may rest and think in peace."

I calmed down and after a few moments the darkness subsided a little. There was a thick grey fog swirling above my ankles and rising around me, but the stars and moon shone brightly overhead. A shadowy figure approached from my right, which turned out to be Haldir himself.

"Since you are insistent upon leaving with the Fellowship," he scolded dryly, "I must prepare you as well as I can, for you shall not have the benefit of dreaming with elves when you leave. Especially since you are stubborn enough to not allow the Prince of Mirkwood aid you." Eyeing me, he added, "Yes, he _does_ know what goes on with you when you sleep. I spoke with him extensively on the subject when you were talking with my Lady. He said you become like the dead, even your breath leaves your body until you return. It worries him."

"Legolas should not concern himself with me. He doesn't need more burdens than he has right now," I reasoned.

"And I do?" Haldir retorted sharply. I blushed and looked away. "That was callous of me, Haldir, not to consider your own thoughts on the matter. I am sorry."

The elf had moved silently to stand in front of me, and lifted my chin so I would meet his eyes. His gaze was surprisingly soft, and he sighed, puffing air onto my face. "I think perhaps we ought to try something, Elise."

I gave the ellon a bewildered look. "What?"

"I'm going to abandon you here in this place and see whether it is enough to keep you from leaving the world. If not, I shall return."

Shaking my head, I grabbed his arm. "What if I get stuck here and can't wake up?"

He rolled his eyes. "Then I'll come get you in the morning."

With that, he faded away and was gone, and then, so was I.

I had a glimpse of my parents and the back of a doctor before the sharp tugging pulled me back to the misty land.

I smiled. "I nearly saw my doctor."

Haldir frowned. "Keep your focus here, Elise. We do not have much time."

We tried over and over again, but every time the elf left the realm, so did I.

He got me to focus on staying; then meditation; then he pulled elven rope out of thin air and tied each end to one of our feet. Funnily enough, that kept us both from leaving, so the Marchwarden had to drop it and think of something new.

"Where'd you get that rope from, anyway?" I asked.

"I dreamed it." He shrugged.

"Can't I dream up a rock to tie it to, then?"

The expression on Haldir's face said 'Why didn't I think of that?'

I thought of a large, immovable boulder. It appeared in the mist a little way to my left and Haldir picked up the elven rope again, tying one end to my foot and the other around the boulder. With a nod and a smile to me, he faded away. I waited for the pull. And waited. Finally I realised, I wasn't leaving!

Great! Now I was bored. "Now what, Haldir?"

He didn't reply, of course, because he was gone. So I imagined him here. After a few moments, I heard his voice, muttering in Sindarin. I think he may have been cursing.

"Haldir?"

"Yes, Elise?" he sounded exasperated.

"Are you the real Haldir, or did I make you up just now?"

"I'm real, child. You didn't have to pull so hard." Haldir walked up in front of me.

I apologised quickly and then asked, "What am I supposed to do here? It's kinda boring."

Haldir sighed. "Use your imagination."

Well that was entirely unhelpful.

"See what you can create," he explained. I smiled. "Alright."

The ellon stared at me. "Can I go now, mellon nin?"

"What if I say no?" I replied cheekily.

"What do you want me for?" He seemed dubious.

"Purely for my enjoyment," I told him lightly, "If you don't have anything better to do?"

"I'm supposed to be leaving you to meditate without distraction."

"Have _you_ ever meditated?"

"Elise, I'm thousands of years old, what do you think?"

"Great!" I smiled widely. "Then you can show me how it's done!"

Haldir huffed loudly. "Fine. But do not expect me to be at your beck and call whenever it suits your fancy."

I nodded solemnly, and we sat down facing each other, crossing our legs.

"To meditate is to focus all your energy on something. Worry, for example, is a negative form of meditation," the elf instructed. "When you meditate here – you've already seen how it works – the environment cooperates with your thoughts, so you must be careful which direction they take."

I scrunched my face up. "Exactly what am I supposed to focus on in here? There's nothing _to_ focus on."

Haldir considered me for a moment. "Focus on my face for now. When no one else is here, you will focus on your identity and the reason to pursue your life."

I shrugged and nodded, silently studying his face.

We sat like that for a long time, staring at each other, when I suddenly noticed a shift in the mist. I glanced away from Haldir for a moment, and my face morphed into shock. Surrounding us on all sides were sculptures, statues and brilliantly accurate pictures – of us both. I got up and began to observe them all, brushing my marred fingers gently against each cool piece of stone or marble. Haldir looked magnificent, dashing and deadly in his various warrior poses, and other various scenarios I came up with; but then I took notice of his interpretations of me.

Each sculpture was part of a story – the first one had me rendered as a foul-looking orc, and the next was exactly how I looked now, only fierce and angry. The following was of me in a timid pose, covered completely from head to toe, and then with my hood and scarf removed, the sculpture stared out stubbornly, although her hands were wringing together in nervousness. I was smiling in the next, and Haldir's imagination seemed to catch something in it that… didn't make me look ugly. I stood in front of that one for a long time, wondering what he'd done to my face to make it look that way, but after finally giving up, I moved onto the last one. It was a painting of me sleeping in Haldir's arms while the elf looked down at me fondly. It looked natural and sweet, almost like an older brother carrying his sleeping sister to her bed. Except for the part where I was horribly deformed.

It was then that I noticed one more sculpture, a fair way away from the others. I strode out quickly to the last piece of art. And got the shock of my life.

Haldir had sculpted me whole, free of scars and imperfections, but most surprisingly, as an elf! I actually looked beautiful.

"What is this?" I whispered.

"It is how you ought to see yourself," Haldir murmured in my ear. I should have expected him to sneak up on me quickly, but I jumped in the air anyway.

He laughed. "You never cease to amuse me!" I smiled at him as he drew me closer again. "You did very well for your first time. Your world has some very unusual art, though…" the elf trailed off.

I thought of the painting depicting the warrior Haldir, shooting down Mary-Sue's and other obsessed fan girls, and smiled. "Well, I _did_ use my imagination."

"Good." The ellon nodded at me. "Come, it is time to wake up."

I opened my eyes to the dawn and Haldir's face above mine. He moved back as I sat up, rubbing the bleariness out of my eyes. "There is not much time, Elise; you must come quickly if you wish to be back by breakfast."

Confused, I got up and followed him silently, yawning into my free hand while clutching his arm in my other.

We'd been walking for about ten minutes before we reached the destination Haldir had in mind. It was a pool of clean water, surrounded by trees on one side and a rock wall with a trickling waterfall on the other side.

"I thought you might appreciate a refreshing bath," was all he said before turning his back on the pool to guard the entrance. Indeed I did, and I made full use of the strange powders and pastes to wash my hair and body, followed by languishing in the cool water, and if I was to be honest, a game in which I attempted to splash the ellon's hair.

"What are you doing?" the Marchwarden asked in an exasperated tone.

"Fully appreciating my bath," I teased. "Waiting til I get all pruny and wrinkled before I get out."

"Well, if you continue to splash at me, I shall have to ensure we take the long path back and you miss breakfast," he scolded.

"Spoilsport," I whined, getting out. "Well, damn."

"What?" Haldir tilted his head ever so slightly in my direction.

"My clothes are gone. Did someone take them to get cleaned?"

The elf nodded. "Yes, an elleth came and took them."

"But I don't have any spares. I lost them back in Moria. How long does it take til I can have them back?"

"The elleth usually brings them back the following day," Haldir said lightly.

A sudden suspicion caught in my mind, and I marched up to the elf. "The Fellowship is leaving today, Haldir!"

He looked incredibly pleased with himself.

After taking a deep breath, my voice was deadly calm. "Tell me, did you have a plan for what to do with me now I'm trapped at a bath?"

The elf sighed. "Do not be angry with me, mellon nin. I am working in your best interest."

"So we're just waiting here until tomorrow?"

I received no response. "Fine. But don't expect me to trust you from this point on, no matter how charming and sexy I think you are."

The elf swivelled around in surprise at my confession, and then squeezed his eyes shut when he remembered I was naked. I took that opportunity to punch him in the face. Huh. Elf or human, anybody can have a glass jaw. He was out cold. Untying his hood and cloak, I wrapped it around myself and ran off down the path back to camp, only slightly distracted by the wonderful scent that clung to the material. I had made it perhaps four hundred metres before he bellowed after me. "ELISE!"

"Fuck, that was quick!" I sprinted now, hoping against all hopes I was going the right way and he wouldn't catch me.

But alas, Haldir was gaining on me, and I couldn't keep ahead for much longer. He reached out and nearly grasped the cloak I'd stolen, but I undid the tassel and let the elven garment fall to the ground. He stopped to pick it up and stare at me for a moment as I put more distance between us. But then the elf was running again.

"You're going the wrong way," he taunted.

"You're ruining my perfectly good bath," I retorted, glancing over my shoulder. And then I smashed into something. Thankfully, not a tree, but unfortunately a person.

"Legolas!" I gaped, and then put a hand over his eyes, slowly turning around to place him between me and Haldir. "I'm incredibly glad to see you, mellon nin! I need clothes."

The elf prince pulled my hand away and looked from my face to Haldir's in confusion.

"Either that, or shoot Haldir in the arse for me," I added bitingly. The Marchwarden scowled at me, sporting a light bruise on his jaw. Legolas tensed immediately. "What is going on? Are you alright?"

Wanting to dissolve some of the growing pressure, I lied. "We're playing tag. Haldir's it, and I'm determined to win. If you shoot him in the arse, it'll slow him down and I'll be much obliged."

The Marchwarden rolled his eyes.

"And this game of tag involves losing all your clothes?" the elf prince queried. I covered my privates carefully and answered with a shrug, "As I said, I'm determined. But isn't breakfast ready? I'd really like something to eat."

Legolas eased up and gave us both a bright smile. "Your game sounds like fun."

I prodded him. "Focus, Master Elf. Clothes. Food. Let's go."

Haldir closed the distance and wrapped me up in his cloak once more, remaining protectively close, though I'm not sure whether he realised it. "Fine. You win, Elise."

I did a fist pump. "Yes!" Legolas was already ahead of us, so I ran to catch up with him and grabbed his hand, just in case.

"Are you sure you're alright?" the younger elf whispered quietly. I nodded.

"Miss Elise, you're just in time! Sit down and have breakfast with us!" Sam called. I gave Legolas a look and he smirked, slipping away to fetch me some spare clothes.

"It seems, Master Dwarf, that your pleasurable company has been replaced in favour of elf-men! What think you of that?" Boromir joked. I pulled my hood back, sat down amongst all my men and smiled at Gimli. He was besotted with Galadriel, and he didn't mind anyway.

"You ought not to speak of the lady in such a way," Haldir scolded. I whipped around, surprised he was still here. He had a hard glint in his eyes and I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Says the one who first called her an orc," Boromir sneered. I got up and put myself between the two testosterone –filled men. "Haldir, don't you have somewhere to be, my friend?"

"My priority is you right now, Elise," he growled.

A blonde head came into view of our breakfast glade. It was Legolas. "Elise, I've found some clothes I believe shall fit you. I went to look for yours, but it seems an elleth has already picked them up." I went and took them from him, squeezing his hand. "Thank you so much!"

The elf nodded with a smirk and went to collect his breakfast, ignoring the gawking now aimed in his direction.

Boromir opened his mouth but I put a hand over it and hissed, "_No_. If you honestly believe I took the elf prince's _virginity_, you're absolutely mad."

Haldir glanced at me in consternation and glared at Boromir with renewed vigour.

Taking cover behind a large mallorn tree, I quickly donned a pair of leggings, a soft undershirt along with a loose V-neck tunic that stopped mid-thigh, and a pair of soft boots. I pulled Haldir's cloak over the top of my clothes before returning.

Pippin grinned up at me from the table. "I've never seen a woman in pants before, Merry! Doesn't she look a bit like a boy now?"

That earned him a solid thwack upside the head from the other hobbit. "Pippin, for the last time, shut up!" I grinned at the youngest two hobbits. "They're better for travelling, though, Pip."

Boromir and Haldir were still facing off, and I shared a look with Aragorn, who'd remained quiet throughout this whole scenario. He put his hands in front of him, as though to say 'I'm not getting into this one.'

Rolling my eyes I sat down beside Sam and Frodo. "How are you guys, this morning?"

"Well enough for now," Frodo murmured quietly. Then he eyed me with childish curiosity. "Where did you and Haldir get off to last night?"

Sam wore a similar expression. I shrugged. "He took me for a private meeting with the Lady of Light, and after that he was gone so I got lost trying to make my way back to camp. His brother Rumil found me."

"Oh!" Frodo chuckled. "We all thought you got in trouble with the Marchwarden for smacking him."

I grinned cheekily. "He's a good sport. Very long-suffering." Whispering conspiratorially, I tagged on, "I knocked him out this morning."

The Ringbearer looked mortified, though he was also trying to hide his amusement. He shook his head at me.

Sam was shocked. "I didn't know elves could _be_ knocked out!"

"Not for very long," I admitted.

"I'm not sure it's appropriate to go around hitting our hosts," Sam said, worriedly eyeing Haldir's fading bruise.

"Oh Sam, you're a good bloke," I told him kindly.

"Well, so are you, Miss Elise – I mean, you're a good lady," he blushed but then got back to his point. "You ought to go and make rights with him before we leave. If he and Boromir ever stop arguing with each other, that is."

I got an idea. Grabbing Boromir's plate, I surreptitiously placed all the food on Merry and Pippin's plates as they were preoccupied talking to the dwarf, and then called to the son of Gondor. "Boromir, it seems the hobbits have taken it upon themselves to finish your breakfast for you!"

He swivelled around so fast I thought he'd get whiplash. "Hey!"

I gestured to his empty plate, and then held up mine in offering. "Come and eat, my friend. Men are always so grumpy on an empty stomach!"

Boromir tentatively moved to sit down beside me, and I slid my plate across to him. "Haldir, will you sit with us as well?"

The Gondorian shot me a look. "You want his company?"

"What's it to you, son of Gondor?" I glanced at the Marchwarden, who moved to sit across from me with an irked look on his face, and I got a mischievous glint in my eyes. "Do you not know the real reason I came on this journey?"

"To keep me in line?" Boromir recalled. I grinned and shook my head, winking at Merry and Pippin. "I'm indulging myself on all the handsome menfolk!"

Boromir fell back out of his seat, and Haldir stared at me in shock. Sam went pale at my audaciousness, Gimli roared in laughter and Aragorn chuckled quietly in his seat. Legolas returned the mischievous smirk. Frodo caught on and stood up, pointing at me as he loudly exclaimed, "I knew it! How could Lord Elrond not see this?"

Merry was brave enough to say, "Elise – we're far too old for you, dear."

I smirked at Haldir as I replied, "I know, but you all age with incredible grace. If you were all blind, I'd still only have a chance with Pippin, since he's the youngest by a smidge."

The youngest hobbit's eyebrows shot up, and I laughed heartily. "Oh dear, you guys are so _easy_. How're you going down there, Boromir?"

The Gondorian climbed back up into his seat, thoroughly embarrassed, and strategically filled his mouth with food to avoid answering.

My voice became serious. "I am incredibly thankful to be a part of this Fellowship." I squeezed Boromir's shoulder affectionately. "You are all great and noble in my eyes, and most of all, you're good people."

Aragorn bowed his head in respect. "We think the same of you, Lady Elise."

I smiled. "And Haldir, you're incredible. I'm very jealous of your Lady, that she has such a fine ellon living in her midst."

He also nodded in respect, and then inquired sincerely, "Are you certain you cannot be persuaded to stay?"

I grinned. "Sorry, but no. If I have to smack several more arses and flee naked to be allowed to go, I'd do it."

The elf seemed saddened by that, so I told him, "Don't worry, I still have a favour to pay back, so we'll see each other again!"

We got up, seeing that the Fellowship was ready to leave, and began following Haldir to the water's edge where Galadriel awaited us. I walked at the front with Aragorn again, blatantly checking out the elf's arse, since he no longer had his cloak to hide that magnificent figure.

"Elise!" Aragorn hissed, staring at me in disapproval.

"What?" I looked at him innocently.

The Ranger gave me a pointed look. I shrugged. "If he didn't want me looking, he would've asked for his cloak back." I paused, "And I would've said no. Besides, he's not even naked like I was."

Aragorn sighed in exasperation. "There is no winning with you."

I grinned. "I could stare at yours instead if it makes you feel any better."

He punched me gently on the arm. "Do not be ridiculous."

In front of us, Haldir huffed and stopped. "I cannot stand the two of you talking about me behind my back."

Aragorn apologised immediately, but I saw the mischief in the Marchwarden's eyes. "Elise, why don't you walk on ahead? I'll give you directions, and then I can stare at you instead."

I folded my arms. "Nope. You already had your chance when we were playing tag."

"Then I'll just do this." He scooped me up in his arms and began leading the procession again. "Now you can tell me exactly how sexy you think I am to my face," he grinned wickedly.

I shrugged. "You're my favourite, what can I say?"

Behind us, I heard Aragorn sigh and mutter something about me being incorrigible.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

I sang a lullaby to the hobbits as we sought shelter on the riverbanks that night.

Even Frodo had managed to doze off by the end, being the one who had the most trouble sleeping.

I leaned against a boulder and thought about the last day…

We'd been following the river for a day since leaving the Golden Woods.

All of us were presented with unique gifts that would assist us on our journey in some way or another. Haldir and I swapped cloaks, since they'd had one made especially for me. When it came time for my gift, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel presented me with a long whip, and a belt full of throwing knives. I gaped at them in surprise. The Lady smiled, and Celeborn spoke. "Lord Elrond believed you may be more comfortable with weapons that are familiar to your hands. These are new, made specifically for you, Maiden of Fate."

My voice caught in my throat and I could feel my eyes watering. "That's freaking awesome!" I whispered. Clearing my throat, I added, "My compliments to you and your craftsmen. This is masterful work."

Celeborn gave me a rare, amiable smile. "Use them well, Lady Elise."

I grinned and bowed to them. Galadriel paused and spoke in my head, then. _We are sad to see you go so soon, dear child. I pray the Valar shall keep a faithful watch over you in your absence._

I gave her a brief, sad smile. _You have been most excellent hosts. To be honest, my heart is torn between waiting here and leaving. But I must stay the course. Please send Elrond my love and apologies._

She got an unusual glint in her eyes. _And what of my Marchwarden?_

I blinked. Oh, I was fucked._ Tell him not to pine for me, and I'll see him at Helm's Deep in a few weeks or whatever._

To my surprise, Galadriel chimed out a laugh. "You have time to tell him that yourself." And with that, she moved on. Exhaling in relief, I put my belt on and found a loop for my whip before making my way over to the Marchwarden, who stood separately from the others now. He smiled at me, but it was not his smile. It was one of those professionally detached smiles, and it made me hurt.

So I hugged him. Haldir looked down at me in surprise.

"I miss you already," I murmured quietly in explanation. He frowned and squatted so he could look up at me. "You could have stayed in the bath, you troublesome girl." That made me laugh.

"Do not make me regret letting you go," he scowled. "I should not like to hear you've gone and gotten yourself hurt." I pursed my lips, attempting to hold myself together. "I'm gonna get in the boat now, Haldir. Try not to cry." He chuckled.

The elf kissed me on the head and stood up, taking a step back. I pressed a hand to my heart, bowed and then fled to the boats before anyone could see the tears welling in my eyes.

A low voice brought me out of my reminiscing. "You have a fire burning for that elf," Boromir murmured, sitting down beside me. I sighed and leaned against his shoulder. "It's obvious to us all," he continued, pitching his voice with concern. "I fear you may let it distract you in our travels, Elise."

I stared at the man of Gondor. "Boromir, before you came to Rivendell, you were fully against your father's plan to bring the One Ring back to Gondor. But now Isildur's Bane calls you to take it as your own, and you heart is torn. If I am ever distracted, son of Denethor, it shall be for thinking of you, not Haldir who is safe within his woods."

The man of Gondor was affronted that I would expose him, and he tried to shrug me off, but I tugged his arm over my shoulders and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Steady on. I'm not attacking you, just as you weren't attacking me with your concerns for my heart. You're like the big, rude, annoying older brother I never had who turns out to be a real sweetheart. So quit your nonsense and give your ugly little sister a hug."

He was surprised for a moment, but then he enveloped me in a snuggly bear hug. "It's a shame you and Haldir can never be," my pseudo brother murmured seriously. I held him away from me by his shoulders and asked, "What?"

"You chose the dwarf over him already," he snickered and I grinned, rolling my eyes. "And… he's back!"

The man ruffled my hair and shuffled away to his own bedroll while I stayed up, taking the first watch.

As the time for the second watch rolled over though, everyone was resting so peacefully I decided to let them sleep on. I could always doze off in the back of the boat tomorrow.

Legolas was the first to rouse from his sleep, and he shot a concerned glance in my direction. "Mellon, you were on first watch! Tell me you did not stay awake all night."

I shrugged and yawned, stumbling over to our shared boat. "Youse looked worn out, so I took them all. A good night's sleep is hard won for some."

The elf caught me before I splashed headfirst into the water. "Please, Elise, don't do that again. It would have been much better had I taken all the watches instead."

I smiled tiredly and didn't argue. "'Kay. I'm gonna take a big, long nap. Will you wake me when we reach the banks again?" Greenleaf nodded kindly and helped me into the boat before waking the rest of the Fellowship. I was asleep before we left the shore.

This time when I entered my dream realm, I followed a strand of elven rope until I found the swirling mists. It was vacant again but for the boulder and the rope. Wrapping a coil around my ankle, I sat down and focussed my mind, just as Haldir had showed me. But instead of meditating on my identity, I focussed all my energy on getting Lord Elrond here. I concentrated really hard until once again I heard a voice cursing in the elven tongue. I smiled.

"As glad as I am that you appear to be taking control of your mind, I'd appreciate not being pulled out of breakfast!"

"Good to see you too, Hugo," I muttered as he came to sit in front of me. "Why'd you want me to stay in Lorien all of a sudden?"

"My intention was to test your resolve when you had the chance to remain in Middle Earth." Oh.

"But I thought it was because you wanted me to stop my body…"

The elf lord gave me a grim smile. "That is true also. Your reasons for living again must be your own, Elise. But whenever you return from visiting your body, I have noticed you are overcome by your parents' doubts and fears. It is a distraction to your goals, I'm afraid."

I sighed. "What if I don't come up with a reason to go back after all this is over? What if I do want to stay here?"

He responded with his famous eyebrow move. "Then you willingly forfeit your life. If you stop trying to return to your true home, you will fade from this one, dear child, and simply die."

I bowed my head sadly. "I'll keep trying, Hugo! I just… I'll miss you all." A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "I'm definitely sounding crazy now."

The ellon took my hands and stared solemnly into my eyes. "The feeling shall be mutual, Elise, I assure you. Now, since I am here, let us focus on your identity together." So we sat together with our eyes closed, meditating for some time. I wasn't sure what I would see when I opened my lids, but once again I was surprised.

Laid out beside us was an enormous jigsaw puzzled. It depicted me in various scenarios, showing my strongest character traits to date – but it was only about one third completed, according to the outline. I let out a long, whistling breath.

"You know what this means," the elf lord stated. I nodded. "This is a three part adventure, Elrond. I have to see this story to the end, I believe."

He stood regally. "I'm afraid I must leave you now, Elise. But I am happy to visit again – if it is at night," he gave me a pointed look.

I embraced him warmly. "Thank you again, Lord Elrond, for your help."

The ellon smiled, bowed his head and faded away.

I returned my attention to the puzzle. There were labels under each of the scenes, which I read as I studied each one in detail. Some I recognised as my own evaluations, others however were from Elrond.

The first was labelled _**Survivor – The Maiden of Fate**_, as I fell out of the sky in a ball of fire.

_**Daughter**_ labelled a picture of my parents holding my hands, and _**Elf-friend**_ pictured me with Elrond and Arwen all laughing together.

_**Troll Charmer**_ brought tears to my eyes, and _**Foolish Girl**_ (accompanied by an image of me cursing Saruman in the mountains) made me laugh. That label was definitely Elrond's.

There was one I didn't expect to be there, called _**Dignifier and Peace-bringer**_. It showed the Fellowship and me on the Pass of Caradhras. I was standing on the Ring in the snow as Boromir approached, and Frodo caught my eye. There was such utter relief in his face when I hadn't picked it up.

I roared in laughter when my eyes fell upon _**Fair Lady**_ and the image of my frightening visage as I spanked Haldir with the flat of my blade. The absolute shock and embarrassment on his face was priceless.

The final picture before the puzzle stopped abruptly was of me singing softly to the Fellowship, just last night, labelled _**Comforter**_. It warmed my heart.

I laid down and considered all these things I hadn't before come to realise about myself, and smiled. The time passed by comfortably before I felt a tug on the rope around my ankle. Feeling refreshed, I unwound the coil and allowed myself to follow the pull back into the waking world of Middle Earth.

My eyes opened to the sight of a mightily startled Frodo. It seemed he'd tripped over me. I sat up and looked around. We were the only ones here.

"Damnit, the elf was supposed to wake me earlier!"

The hobbit appeared uneasy, and I suddenly remembered what was going on. "Fuck. You're leaving. Do you have enough food?"

He nodded slowly and apologised. "I'm sorry, Elise. You can't come with me… I didn't realise you were still here or I'd have used a different boat."

Splashing my face with water to wake myself up, I reached over and pulled him into a fierce hug. "I know, Frodo. And don't be afraid. Good will win in the end. Remember," I scolded gently, "don't put the bloody Ring on, or you'll get fucked up by a Nazgul again and there won't be any elves to save you. Got it? Good, I'm going now." Pressing a chaste kiss to his head I checked I had all my weapons before getting out of the boat. Rummaging around in the campsite, I found a slice of Lembas which after taking a bite, I pocketed the rest and picked up Boromir's shield, swinging it onto my shoulder. "The one time he doesn't carry his shield, and it gets him killed." Then I ran off in the direction Merry and Pippin had gone in the movie.

The horn of Gondor began to sound, and I increased my speed to catch them, stabbing randomly at Uruks with my daggers as I flew past.

By the time I arrived, Boromir was pierced with a third arrow, and he fell to his knees. I screamed, "Boromir!" and raced out to help the two hobbits fend off orcs until help arrived. However I was unexpectedly dealt a blow to the back of the head and hauled over an Uruk's shoulder, carried off with the halflings as I fell into unconsciousness.

_**To be continued…**_


End file.
